A Business Proposition
by Miss Sera Dreavus
Summary: In your heart, you know this makes more sense than most of the fics in this section. Dedicated to all my friends, and anyone else who likes it.


They had found it most convenient to meet early in the morning, since the best place turned out to be the bar. It might have been better for the mood to meet in the evening, in one of the room's dark, secluded corners, but Budehuc's tavern didn't have any dark, secluded corners, and it was busy long into the night. Maybe everything seemed more awkward than romantic in the morning's pale light, but Anne knew her job well enough not to eavesdrop on her clients, and no routine drinker was awake that early. Privacy was important.  
  
Leaning against the back of her chair with the most casual attitude imaginable, Estella said, "We have an opening for four o'clock," in a bored tone of voice.  
  
The determinedly anonymous man across the table hid his nervousness well, but it still formed another advantage for Estella; the more eager he was to get out of here, the less time he would spend haggling. "In the afternoon?" he asked with some surprise.  
  
"Yes. You understand, our services are rather in demand."  
  
There was never any way to tell whether Estella was telling the truth or part of it or not at all, and she was a demon to do business with. The man knew he was outmatched, but he wasn't one to go down easily. "That's not what I expected. I may not be able to pay what I'd expected, either," he said, keeping his voice even as he could.  
  
She continued to look unconcerned. "Then you won't get what you want. I can't help what times are available when I have patrons before you."  
  
He sighed wearily. "Ten thousand potch is a lot of money. This had better be what you advertised."  
  
"Would I ever lie?" Estella asked extremely rhetorically.  
  
The man sighed again, slid his money across the table, and left.  
  
Estella had just pocketed the money (her skimpy costume had little room for pockets, but they did exist on it) and stood to leave as well when her young apprentice Rody entered. He smiled happily when he saw her, made his way over and bowed to her. "Mistress Estella!" he exclaimed. "I've been looking for you all morning!"  
  
"I told you not to call me 'Mistress' outside of certain circumstances," she replied coolly. "But yes, I'm afraid I've been kept late this morning. I was just about to go fetch you myself. You have a lot of training ahead of you today, my dear."  
  
"I'll do my best, uh... Madam?" he tried, unable to recall exactly what her title was now.  
  
"Close enough. Now let's see." She procured a list from a particularly unlikely place to have a pocket. "Today you'll be meeting for special training with Mister Percival, Mister Wan Fu, Mister Ace, and Mister Percival again, and tomorrow looks like it'll be busy too... Oh, what is it?" The young man's smile had entirely vanished.  
  
"I'm sorry, Miss Estella, but if I may say so, I really don't like this kind of training. It hurts," he said meekly, unconsciously rubbing his behind.  
  
"You'll get used to it," Estella said without concern. "It's very important to train with different people and different techniques, you see? Men just handle training differently than women like myself do."  
  
Rody managed to not say he was glad she was a woman then, but couldn't quite get his enthusiasm back up.  
  
Estella sighed and put on an indulgent smile. "Well, Rody, do you know what this is for?" she asked, gesturing to the bright red hat she'd taken to wearing recently.  
  
"Is it magical?" he asked, wide-eyed.  
  
"Yes. This hat is specially made to increase the power of certain magic spells, especially those involving telepathy. Now, if you don't even know things like that, clearly you need more training. And I know exactly how to teach you best, as you well know. Do you understand?"  
  
She was right, Rody realized-- he'd had no idea simple plush and feathers could have such power. Newly reminded of his purpose, he perked up and determined to see his training through, even if it did mean not being able to sit comfortably for a while.  
  
Estella spent a few more minutes relaxing at her table after sending the boy off, and reflected on her new business venture. She had been rather surprised at how much interest she'd found, but, after all, if the men she catered to knew what they wanted, it wasn't any of her concern. There were already a couple of repeat customers, and there were several men she suspected might start. Watari, as far as anyone could tell anything about him, seemed intrigued, maybe Hugo or Thomas, though the last would take quite some convincing and probably ending up receiving the 'training' himself... It was really a shame, Estella thought to herself, that Melville was a bit too clever, or she might start a business for real.  
  
Across the room, the castle's musicians were setting up, and while Anne knew not to listen in on things, they had at least caught the end of the scene. "That explains a whole lot," Nei muttered as she tuned her instrument. 


End file.
